July 20, 1965

w. F. HUCH
ROTATING BALLOON SYSTEM

3,195,834

Filed Sept. 20, 1963

11/1 Ziiam FIN523h

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United States Patent 0 " ice

1
ROTATING BALLOON SYSTEM Wiiiiam F. Hush, St. haul, Minn, assignor, by mesne
assignments, to the United States of America as repre

Patented July 3 1 20, 1965

2

3,195,834

during the daylight hours the solar radiation passing through the balloon ?lm raises the temperature of the
contained air slightly above the temperature of the sur rounding atmosphere. The excess in temperature of the
contained air over the ambient air is called superheat and

sented by the Secretary of the Navy

Filed Sept. 20, 1963, Ser. No. 31ti,511 3 Claims. (Cl. 244-31)
This invention relates to high altitude balloons and is concerned more particularly with balloons capable of ro

is usually expressed in degrees Centigrade. This small con

condition of superheat in a large air mass can provide ade quate lift for maintaining aloft a balloon composed of an inelastic ?lm and carrying a relatively small payload. When the sun sets and solar radiation is no longer avail able to maintain the superheat of the air mass the balloon will lose some of its lift and begin descending. As the balloon descend-s the ambient air pressure, of course, in creases; this compression of the contained air raises its

tating in ?ight.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved

rotating balloon.

Another object is to provide a balloon which is in?ated and rotated by air intaken from the surrounding atmos 15 temperature slightly thus increasing the lift and reducing phere. the rate of descent of the balloon su?iciently to maintain Still another object is to provide a simple and e?icient the system airborne until the reappearance of the sun'. means for rotating an entire balloon system. As indicated in the other application herein mentioned A further object is to provide a balloon system which previously, climatogical conditions play a decisive roll rotates without use of an external power source. 20 in the exact operation of such a balloon system. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be In any case, the balloon system should be maintained at come apparent from the following description taken in a satisfactory altitude until the reappearance of the sun connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: and the infusion of additional solar energy to the con
FIG. 1 isa more or less schematic drawing showing a
FIG. 2 is a more or less schematic drawing showing a

tained air mass.

Such energy will again result in a con

fully in?ated balloon embodying the present invention; 25 dition of superheat and therefore an increase in buoyancy
and the ballon system will rise to its ceiling altitude. Dur ing this process the balloon is maintained substantially FIG. 3 is a view taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1; and fully in?ated because of the supplementation of the con FIG. 4 is a partially sectioned more or less schematic tained air mass with the ambient atmosphere through the plan view of the modi?cation of FIG. '2. 30 opening adjacent the base. Since the con?ned air mass

modi?cation of the invention;

The present invention relates to a balloon in?ated with cold or ambient air as fully described in application Serial

is constantly and automatically replenished the carrying of

ballast is unnecessary and it is possible for the baloon sys tem to remain aloft relatively inde?nitely, a condition

No. 310,513, assigned to the assignee of this application.

In high altitude research it is often necessary or desir
' able to rotate or change the orientation of the cameras

which is not possible when the other available lifting gases

are employed.

or other scienti?c equipment being carried aloft. The

purpose may involve such things as horizon searching or

. photography, sky brightness and polarization studies, in frared scanning, cloud studies and the like. Heretofore, additional equipment has been used to provide such re
orientation of the instrument packages, substantially add

Because cold or ambient air which is superheated is much less buoyant than the other usual lifting gases, a larger balloon will be necessary to achieve comparable altitudes. Further, such a balloon system contemplates the use of relatively small payloads. Ordinarily, base opening 22 may be any size so long
as free communication between the contained air mass

ing to problems. The present invention provides for a very simple and effective means for rotating the entire ball-con structure while the balloon is either at ceiling alti tude or ascending and descending. Referring to FIG. 1, a balloon system designated gen
erally at lil is seen to comprise a balloon 12 supporting a

and the surrounding atmosphere is effected. Preferably,

an opening 3/10 of the greatest lateral balloon dimension,

45

more or less, will permit the proper functioning or" the

system.
Referring again to FIG. 1, an ori?ce 4th is located in
the upper portion or crown 42 of balloon 12. Ori?ce

payload 14, by means of a load line 16 connected thereto.

The load line 16 may be attached to a balloon 12 in any suitable manner, such as shroud lines 18 which are con 7 nected to the skin of the balloon 12 in the usual manner,

40 is relatively small in relation to base opening 22 being, preferably, on the order of 1/10 thereof. The balloon sys tem may be in?ated and brought to altitude with ori?ce
41) covered or obstructed. When the obstruction is re moved by any suitable means, it is seen that as ambient

or by the use of a load ring (not shown) attached to the shroud lines 1% near the base 26 of balloon 12. A rela I tively large hole or opening 22 is provided adjacent to the

base 20 to permit gradual circulation of the air mass 55 ori?ce 40.

'

within the balloon with the ambient atmosphere. The balloon system is sustained in ?ight and completely ?lled with cold, i.e., ambient air that is intaken from the atmos phere, and as more fully described in application Serial air jet 48 or a component thereof, is perpendicular to the No. 310,513. The balloon 12 shown in FIG. 1 is repre 60 longitudinal axis Stl of balloon 12 a reactionary moment sented as fully in?ated and having a general tetrahedronal arises and causes balloon 12 to rotate in the opposite di
shape. Such a balloon is referred to as a tetroon but con

air is intaken through opening 22 it escapes through Further, since ori?ce 40 is located Where there is internal pressure, i.e., in the crown 42 of the balloon, the air jet passing therethrough is slightly ac celerated; this jet is represented at 48 in FIG. 3. Since

rection to air jet 48 as indicated by the arrow 52 in FIG. 3.

stitutes only one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a usual, somewhat conically shaped bal lot-on 24 embodying a modi?ed form of the invention.
Balloon 24 supports a load 26 on a load line 22} connected

to shroud lines 30. A relatively large hole 32 is provided adjacent to the base 34 of balloon 24. The balloons 12 and 24 are formed preferably of an essentially inelastic

To be sure, the force resulting from jet 48 is small but it has been found adequate to keep a large, ambient air balloon system rotating at several revolutions per hour. Further, rotation occurs constantly, both while the sys
tem is at altitude or ascending and descending. Thus,

ori?ce 40 cooperates with the air replenishing means, base opening 22, to rotate the balloon system simply and
70 effectively without the need of external power sources or

thin ?lm, such as Mylar or polyethelene.

Balloon system 1%) is maintained aloft in a manner fully

elaborate equipment.

described in application Serial No. 310,513. Briefly,

FIG. 4 shows a modi?cation of the present invention.

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3,195,834

; 1.3

Since, the balloon 24 has a general cone shape an air jet

passing through an ori?ce would cause'a force reaction '

which would pass through vthe axis 60 vthereof and not impart rotation thereto. Therefore, to direct the air jet,
or a component thereof, at an angle toaxis 60 an exten-,

of 1 to 10 relative to the greatest lateral dimension of said balloon, thereby replenishing said air mass fromambient air from the surrounding atmosphere
as the balloon ascends and descends; and

(c) means, Lincludingan ori?ceadjacent the crown of

sion 52 is provided. Extension SZ'mjay be integral with 3 or attached in a suitable manner to balloon 24; Exten sion 52 has an ori?ce 5,4 which directs the air jet at an

theballoon, said ori?ce being smaller than said open ing, cooperating with said replenishing means for

imparting rotational motion to saidballoon system.

3. A free, high altitude balloon systernfcornprisingz'
(a) an inelastic ?lm balloon de?ning 'a contained air
mass; _ t t a .

angle to axis 60 providing thenecessary reactive force

to impart rotation to the, balloon, system. Preferably, 10
extension '52 is vshown located at or, near the greatest di-5

ameter of balloon v24 to provide the greatest moment arm

(b) means, including an opening in the ibase of said

through which the reactive force will act.

i balloon, said opening having a dimension-on the order

been described, they should be regarded as examples of 15'

the invention and not as restrictions or limitations thereof,v
as changes may be made in the construction and arrange-v

While preferred embodimentsof the

mvention have

of l to 'lO'relative. to, the greatest lateral dimension

' of said balloon, thereby replenishing said-airhrnass _ with ambient air vfrom the surrounding atmosphere as
the balloon ascends anddescends; and n V

ment of the parts without departing from the spirit and;

scope - I claim: of thejinvention. t 7 t

. (c). means, including an ori?ce adjacent the crown of

said iballoon, said ori?ce having a dimension on the

20

order of 1 to IOrelative to said opening, said ori?ce

v1. A free, high altitude balloon system, comprising:

(a), an inelastic ?lm balloon de?ning, a contained air ' mass;

.valving an air jet component perpendicular to the

'balloon axis whereby imparting rotational motion to

said balloon system. ' '

(b) leans for-replenishing said air mass with ambientv

ascends and descends; and ' ' '

air from the surrounding ,=atmosphere as the 'ba?loon 25'

7 References Cited-V by the Examiner

_ ,. UNITEDSTATES PATENTS Y

(0) means, includinganbri?ce in said balloon in corn-f

" ' munication with said air mass and with the surround,

ing atmosphere, whereby air escapes through said ori?ce and imparts rotational motion-to said balloon. 2. A free, highaltitude balloon system, comprising: (a) "aninel-astic ?lm balloon de?ning a contained air
mass; , a ' .

2,635,385, 4/53 Brown -7 ________ __'__;. 46-.87 X 2,960,282 ll/60. ,Winzen' __' ____ ..;.___'____ 2443l
2,961,194 "glll/ 60 2,991,027 >~ 7/61. Thorness ~.. ___________ .__ 244-31 Geyling _' ___________ _,___ 244-1

' MILTON BUCHLER, Pr'imury Examiner.

FERGUSV'S. MIDDLETom-Examiner; "

(b) means, including an'opening in the base of said

balloon, said openinghaving a' dimension on' the order 35